NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jun 13, 2013) - Today, LIVESTRONG Foundation President and CEO Doug Ulman and Vice President of Communications and External Affairs Katherine McLane were honored as the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 2013 Public Relations Professionals of the Year. This prestigious award celebrates the highest level of public relations achievement by an individual or team and was presented as part of PRSA's Silver Anvil Awards ceremony, held at the AXA Equitable Center in New York City. In addition to having its executives honored, the LIVESTRONG Foundation also received a Silver Anvil Award in the crisis communications category.
Ulman and McLane were recognized by PRSA due to their deft handling of communications efforts and public engagement during a challenging three-year stretch for the Foundation. Despite the distractions, Ulman and McLane have successfully focused the Foundation's work on its mission of improving the lives of people affected by cancer today. With 14 million Americans living with cancer today and 4,500 new diagnoses daily in the U.S., the Foundation's holistic, patient-centered work is more critical than ever.
"The LIVESTRONG Foundation's ability not only to weather this crisis, but emerge from it with a stronger, more financially secure, more compelling brand demonstrates the vital role public relations plays in mitigating crises," said PRSA Chair and CEO Mickey G. Nall, APR, Fellow PRSA. "The LIVESTRONG Foundation plays a crucial role in the worldwide fight against cancer, with thousands of cancer survivors relying on its resources daily. Doug and Katherine were able to grasp the gravity of the situation and the significance of their actions for cancer patients worldwide, and their swift, decisive response helped to ensure the viability of this important organization for years to come."
"We at the Foundation are honored to receive this award," said Ulman. "Our communications team, led by Katherine, deserves a huge amount of credit for creating an independent and innovative path forward as we seek to achieve better outcomes for those impacted by cancer."
During her remarks, McLane explained how transparency was of paramount importance in order to engage stakeholders and the general public and discussed the Foundation's aggressive communications effort to advance clarity around who it is, what it does, how it's unique and why it matters. She highlighted the free support services the top-rated non-profit provides to cancer patients, survivors and their families to help them cope with the practical, emotional and financial challenges that accompany a diagnosis.